Neuman's Systems Model for Nursing Practice as a Conceptual Framework for a Family Assessment

Neuman's Systems Model was used as a guide to the assessment and intervention for a dysfunctional family. The model gave direction to the selection of family therapy as the appropriate and successful intervention. The case example illustrates the application and use of Neuman's model in child and adolescent nursing practice.     

Adolescent Patient and Nurse Referrals for Pastoral Care: A Comparison of Psychiatric vs. Medical-Surgical Populations

PROBLEM: Referrals for pastoral care can expedite interventions that focus on the spiritual needs of hospitalized adolescents. METHODS: An uncontrolled, retrospective review of referrals (N = 73) to pastoral care for adolescents ages 10 to 22 in a pediatric hospital over an 18-month period. FINDINGS: A majority of the patients (65%) was referred from the psychiatric unit. Psychiatric patients made more self-referrals, whereas PICU nurses made more nurse-generated referrals for pastoral care. CONCLUSIONS: Spiritual care of patients in a pediatric hospital is an important component of care. Since the importance of spiritual care is well documented, referrals for spiritual issues and care are essential interventions that should not be overlooked. A better understanding of the referrals can aid in early recognition of factors that may prompt nurses to advocate for spiritual care of the patient.     

Book Review

THE LOST ART OF HEALING B. Lown, (1999)
PRAYER: THE REMEDY THAT ALWAYS WORKS J. R. Light     

Tots and Teens: Similarities in Behavior and Interventions for Pediatric and Psychiatric Nurses

The separation-individuation process is played out in similar ways by toddlers and teenagers. Child and adolescent psychiatric nurses may have a better appreciation of the subtleties and complexities in dealing with behaviors of these patients with a comparison of the two groups. This paper discusses similarities in behaviors of toddlers and teens and presents theory-based guidelines for interventions with clients in these age groups.     

Sibling Incest A Descriptive Study of Family Dynamics

This study investigates the characteristics of families in which a member was identified as a victim of sibling incest. Four agencies in a southeastern city provided a convenience sample of 14 family case records from November 1986 through April 1988 for review. Sixteen children were identified as victims of sibling incest, including three boys and 13 girls between the ages of 2 and 10 years (mean = 6.75 years). Perpetrators included 1 girl and 14 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 years (mean = 15.06 years). The incestuous relationship had a major impact on families, especially the children. Many offenders and victims, in addition to experiencing emotional, school, and legal problems, were removed from their homes.     

Infant-Toddler Mental Health An Emerging Concern

JCPN Commentary presents a series of obsenations, opinions, and analyses of issues and trends in education and practice in psychiatric and mental health nursing, and social policy factors that influence families, or the deliver of health services to youth and their families.     

Using Magnitude Estimation Scaling to Examine the Validity of Nursing Diagnoses

This paper describes the use of magnitude estimation scaling in the validation of the critical defining characteristics of nursing diagnoses. Magnitude estimation is a sensitive and accurate technique producing ratio level scales that offer advantages over ordinal level scales frequently used in validating nursing diagnoses. Magnitude estimation responses permit a consensus pattern to be achieved by producing stable and repeatable judgments to validate the importance of each sign and symptom investigated. Thus, magnitude estimation shows promise as a methodologic strategy for validating the critical defining characteristics of nursing diagnoses, thereby expanding the effort to identify and classify nursing phenomena.